From: U45301@uicvm.uic.edu (Mary Jacobs)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.china,soc.culture.soviet,soc.culture.latin-america
Subject: CLINTON NEW TEXT: IMMIGRATION
Message-ID: <92234.001842U45301@uicvm.uic.edu>
Date: 21 Aug 92 05:18:42 GMT
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CLINTON GORE ON IMMIGRATION
No part of the American story is richer and none more important
to preserve than our proud tradition of responding to the
yearnings in all people for personal freedom, political rights,
and economic opportunity. The end of the Cold War has not
brought an end to persecution or to the plight of refugees.
civil and ethnic strife, repression, poverty and environmental
degradation continue to cause upheavals.
A Clinton/Gore Administration will support policies that promote
fairness, non-discrimination and family reunification, and
reflect our constitutional freedoms of speech, association and
travel. While we must be generous, we cannot admit all who want
to come. Priority should be given to reunifying families and
attracting refugees and workers whose skills are needed.
Reunite families
Make family reunification the cornerstone of American
immigration policy.
Eliminate backlogs which separate husbands and wives and their
children. Their present two year wait for a visa is intolerable.
Reduce the unreasonable backlog for extended family members -
which can be as long as 15 years.
Support American Workers
Meet our first obligation - to recruit, train, and maintain the
competitiveness of our own work force, and to ensure that
immigration laws do not displace American workers.
Ensure that temporary worker programs are not used to displace
American workers or to undermine our union organizations.
Maintain immigration laws that enable employers to obtain the
workers they need where labor shortages exist.
Fight discrimination
Make it a top priority of a Clinton/Gore Administration to
vigorously enforce our labor and anti-discrimination laws.
Work to get rid of sweat shops and abusive farm labor
contractors - not only to help control immigration, but also help
all Americans.
Enforce and improve border controls
Enhance the enforcement of the laws controlling our borders,
and ensure that the human rights of all immigrants are respected.
Improve the Border Patrol and ensure that it is held
accountable for its actions.
Provide new technology and training in the latest enforcement
techniques.
Improve domestic conditions in Latin America
Develop economic and foreign policies that encourage economic
growth in countries where the lack of economic opportunities
"pushes out" their residents. By cooperating with our developing
allies in ways that treat them as true partners, we will reduce
the "push" factor.
Support trade agreements with Latin America countries that
improve and enforce labor, wage, health, safety, and
environmental standards at home and abroad. Keep jobs at home
and help people abroad live richer, safer lives.
Encourage immigrant participation
Institute public information programs to advise permanent
residents of the requirements of citizenship.
Encourage and assist community organizations to establish
education programs to aid legal residents to meet these
requirements.
Ensure that citizenship fees do not pose an undue burden. Keep
fees to the minimum necessary to cover costs.
Work with organizations such as OCA, JACL, NAPABA, the
Southwest Voter Registration and Education Project, MALDEF, NALEO
and LACLA on issues affecting voter registration and citizenship.
Support continuing immigration
Recognize that even in the post-Cold War era, people still flee
political persecution.
Continue to offer the protection of political asylum regardless
of our relationship with the countries fled.
Encourage democracy and human rights abroad.
Condition favorable trade terms with repressive regimes, such
as China's communist government, on their respect for human
rights, political liberalization and responsible international
conduct.
Ensure that legitimate claims for asylum are granted and that
those denied asylum have received full and fair proceedings.
Make every effort to support voluntary repatriation after the
resolution of conflicts.
Support the Diversity Visa Program, which reaches out to those
unfairly excluded by our immigration policies.
End AIDS immigration restrictions
Stop the cynical politicization of federal immigration
policies. Direct the Justice Department to follow the Department
of Health and Human Services' recommendation that HIV be removed
from the immigration restrictions list.
Stop the forced repatriation of Haitian refugees
Reverse Bush Administration policy and stop repatriation.
Give fleeing Haitian refugees consideration for political
asylum until democracy is restored to Haiti. Provide them safe
haven, and encourage other nations to do the same.
Seek tightening of the Organization of American States' embargo
of Haiti.
Insist that our European allies observe the embargo,
particularly with regard to oil.
Intensify direct pressure from the United States to restore an
elected government.
Help Jews leave Russia
As anti-Semitic fervor increases in the former Soviet Union,
uphold America's longstanding commitment to freedom of
emigration.
Ensure sufficient support for the 50,000 refugees from the
former Soviet Union resettling in the United States each year.
Support Israel's request for our assistance in resettling
hundreds of thousands of Jews from the former Soviet Union. The
Bush Administration is wrong to hold hostage to political
struggle hundreds of thousands of people whose freedom we have
long demanded.
The Record
Senator Gore has supported legislation to reduce the paperwork
required of immigrants by employers. Gore believes that
businesses should not have to carry an undue burden in
implementing immigration reform.
Supported "seasonal worker" provisions allowing foreign workers
to enter the country about up to nine months; and also supported
legislation extending the time for farm workers who enter the
United states to present their paperwork to government officials.
Gore understands the special needs of farmers and people in the
perishable crop industry.
Voted for measures to more effectively handle employment
discrimination.
Supported measures to provide safe have for political
refugees - including Chinese students after the Tiananmen Square
massacre, citizens of Central American nations gripped by civil
war, and Haitian boat people fleeing repression.